Conflicts
Verhofstadt: “Brexit uses only Putin”
The European Parliament should laws change, to the UK in the EU to keep. An agreement is possible, says European Parliament, Guy Verhofstadt during the crucial EU summit in the DW-Interview.
Deutsche Welle: Mr. Verhofstadt, you are one of only three Negotiators of the European Parliament, which deals with the “Brexit” deal, so the reforms and the special role of great Britain. They are thus intimately familiar with all the problems, all of the suggestions and opinions. It will be up Friday agreement?
Guy Verhofstadt: I think until Friday, it will reach an agreement. I hope to have a Deal, because we have a “Brexit” must avoid. A British exit from the EU would be devastating, because it is only a single Person would benefit from and, indeed, Vladimir Putin. He wants to split Europe, a weak Europe. And the EU without Britain would be a weak Europe.
We assume that there is a consensus, and you are right: they are concerned that this sets a precedent for other member States can be also a special wish? Could an agreement the end of the EU as we know it?
No, I think the opposite. This is the Chance for the UK to finally get a special status to give after this is over three decades long has been discussed. We have this Problem is finally solved and behind us. The only way we can stop Europe overcome. After that, we can to the further Integration of the European Union, and problems such as the refugee crisis, the Sicherheitskrise and the geopolitically weak role of Europe to solve. I see this as an opportunity both for the UK than for the EU.
Not all parliamentarians seem to be as convinced as she is. It should be at the EU summit come to a solution, would be the Parliament of the agreement to agree?
In the European Parliament it will be a great debate. But we have committed to be open and to be constructive. Clearly, we can’t say right now how the Parliament will decide. It would be not very democratic to say now that the Parliament of one hundred percent agree. But also the British Prime Minister David Cameron does not know whether he the Referendum in great Britain will win. This is just democracy. We the people must first be convinced. We have, however, promised that the matter openly and constructively to tackle.
Guy Verhofstadt is President of the liberal group in the European Parliament. From 1999 to 2008 was Verhofstadt Prime Minister of Belgium.